A forum for people who suffer from chronic or persistent coughs to share ideas... these don't have any sort of official approval so you try any of them out at your own risk. I've consigned some of the more unusual ones I received to the Oddities bin on the left. I've also listed very simple remedies separately. If you're a sufferer, good luck, and please report back by commenting on the particular posting if you find success. Or just comment to the most recent posting and I will pick it up.

Friday, September 14, 2007

Jenny, UK

As somebody who has very similar problems, but found a partial solution, I thought I would briefly tell you just in case it is helpful

Like you I gave up smoking after quite a number of years and like you Idon't cough when I'm asleep: conclusion : there is nothing wrong with mylungs: the whole thing is to do with my throat, (which I have possiblysensitised/damaged as a result of the smoking which is an added trigger).But why?

When my doctor didn't come up with anything, being an academic I sat down and thought about it logically.What is different between asleep and awake?My eyes are open/closed.I then experimented, and low and behold, if I close my eyes for say 15minutes during the day, away from strong light, I don't cough either.The whole thing is to do with the amount of 'tearing' of my eyes.So that is what needs dealing with.

The second thing is that I discovered that some people do what they call "cry through their nose".It is a psychosomatic phenomenon due to suppressed sadness. Some people have a constantly blocked nose, others, like me have the constant teary trickle which causes the cough. One person I met had to use nose-drops several times a day until her father who had abused her died, and from that day on never had to use the drops again.

So I declined all lung tests or treatments and concentrated on my eyes instead, sunglasses in the morning, and I make sure I never get cold, even indoors. etc. The only time I now cough significantly is when I yawn a few times and my eyes fill with tears.

I blow my nose a lot, as soon as there is any hint that something could be trickling down. That helped a lot as well.

No comments:

Search This Blog

Follow by Email

About Me

I've had a cough for 18 years now, and have tried many, many things to get rid of it, without any lasting success. This blog is full of ideas that people have sent me after I appeared in the newspapers, and on radio and TV, talking about it a few years ago.

Cough jokes - because we need to keep a sense of humour!

...John was a clerk in a small drugstore but he was not much of a salesman. He could never find the item the customer wanted. Bob, the owner, had had about enough and warned John that the next sale he missed would be his last.

Just then a man came in coughing and he asked John for their best cough syrup. Try as he might John could not find the cough syrup. Remembering Bob's warning he sold the man a box of Ex-Lax and told him to take it all at once. The customer did as John said and then walked outside and leaned against a lamp post.

Bob had seen the whole thing and came over to ask John what had transpired. "He wanted something for his cough but I couldn't find the cough syrup. I substituted Ex-Lax and told him to take it all at once," John explained.

"Ex-Lax won't cure a cough," Bob shouted angrily.

"Sure it will," John said, pointing at the man leaning on the lamp post. "Look at him. He's afraid to cough!"

Next: not a joke, but these emails made me laugh on the Manchester Evening News website when the story first appeared:"I can help this man. I need his address. I have a electronic device which will surely help him to cure from this caugh. If anyone can give me his address, i can post the device for free. it can also help from various body pains including back pain." sadab, Dhaka, Bangladesh

"Thanks Sadab, they're known in the UK as cattle prods. Do send it to him though..."Mr.Manchester